


Unitled Vampire AU (Yes, that's my actual title.)

by imtoolazytothinkofausername



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Gen, Horror, Vampire AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 17:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21019775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imtoolazytothinkofausername/pseuds/imtoolazytothinkofausername
Summary: Abernathy makes an unfortunate mistake while serving  his master.





	Unitled Vampire AU (Yes, that's my actual title.)

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Fantastic Beasts or Harry Potter. I'm not writing this for profit.

It has to be past midnight when Percival’s hauled roughly out of bed.

“Get up.” Abernathy snarls, but despite his tone there’s an odd gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.

“The hell…! It’s late!” Graves tries to jerk away, but Abernathy waves his wand impatiently, and suddenly Percival’s hands are bound in unseen cords in front of him. The other wizard yanks at them, pulling Percival towards the door.

“He needs to feed.”

Percival grits his teeth but doesn’t protest. Grindelwald had drank from him earlier that evening, and Graves is still exhausted from the loss of blood. But arguing with Abernathy won’t change anything. The orders likely come from Grindelwald himself, and Abernathy would only take pleasure in Graves’s frustration. None of Grindelwald’s followers are exactly friendly to Graves, but Abernathy is the only one that goes out of his way to make Graves’s imprisonment unpleasant. Maybe he’d resented his former boss for years, or maybe Percival represents to Abernathy what Grindelwald’s followers hope will soon be the old regime. But whatever the case, it seems to nettle Abernathy that he can’t torture Percival and that Percival isn’t locked in the dungeon like other prisoners. Abernathy would be overjoyed to know just how much being Grindelwald’s preferred food source bothers Graves.

Abernathy is almost running down the corridor, and Percival stumbles quite a few times in his attempt to keep up with his guard.

When they at last reach their destination, Abernathy kicks open the door.

“Here!” He exclaims, his voice laden with panic and excitement. “I brought one.” With a yank, he practically throws Percival towards the vampire lying on the couch.

Grindelwald is sprawled across the couch, breathing heavily, face contorted in agony. His robes are stained with blood, and it doesn’t take Graves long to realize that it comes from the wound in Grindelwald’s abdomen.

The vampire looks up at Graves, a look of hunger and irritation in his eyes. “You little fool!” Grindelwald hisses, and then he lunges.

Percival jerks backwards, but it’s not him that Grindelwald heads towards. Abernathy gives out a small cry as the vampire latches onto his neck. He tries to pull away, but Grindelwald reaches up one hand to clasp the back of Abernathy’s head, wrapping his other arm around the man’s waist. Slowly, almost gently, Grindelwald lowers his prey to the floor, never halting his meal.

Abernathy’s face is growing pale, and his eyes are starting to glaze over. This isn’t like the times that Grindelwald’s fed on Percival, Graves realizes. Grindelwald’s going to completely drain Abernathy. And it’s that thought that makes Percival turn and run.

He’s not sure where he’s going. He’s never been given enough free rein to get to know his way around Nurmengard. For all Percival knows, he’s going deeper and deeper into the tower. But he doesn’t care. He just wants to get away from the _thing_ behind him.

Graves fully expects to be caught before he can go far, expects to feel Grindelwald’s weight on his back as the vampire’s teeth sink into Graves’s neck. But that doesn’t happen. It’s several minutes before Percival is able to think clearly, and then he slows down and takes a look around. The corridor that he’s in is unfamiliar. There’s no one in sight, and the only sound is of his own breathing.

It occurs to him that this would be the best chance he’s had to escape yet if only he had a clue where the exit was. After a moment’s hesitation, Percival ducks into a nearby room. It’s a bedroom, but there’s no sign of anyone living there. Graves makes his way to the window and peers out. It takes him a moment, but he’s able to identify what could be a gateway a few floors below and to the left. It’s a long shot, but-

“I’m afraid you won’t make it that far.”

Percival whirls around to face his captor.

Grindelwald’s looking at him with an oddly penitent look. His clothes are still bloody, but there’s no sign of the wound. “I do give you credit for trying, though. Normally, I would have stopped you sooner, but I was…” a grimace flickers across Grindelwald’s face, “indisposed.”

“You killed him.” Graves whispers. “He…he was your man, and you killed him.”

“Yes.” Grindelwald sighs. “Such a pity. I can’t say I liked him, but he had potential. Still, he made his own choice.”

“How can you-”

“It was him or you.” Grindelwald interrups. “I’m sure you noticed that I was injured. I needed blood and lots of it. I ordered Abernathy to bring me a prisoner from the dungeon, and instead he brought me you. He let his dislike of you prevent him from obeying me. I have no use for someone who doesn’t obey orders.” Grindelwald pauses, but Percival doesn’t know how to reply to what he’s just been told. Silence hangs between them, stretching out for several seconds. “You must be tired.” Grindelwald says eventually. “I know I am. Let’s-”

Percival flinches away at Grindelwald’s approach, and the man halts.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’ve fed enough tonight. After Abernathy, I did grab a quick bite from the dungeons. I won’t need to feed until tomorrow night. And I’ll feed from someone else.”

It makes Percival’s skin crawl, but he lets Grindelwald take his arm and guide him into the hallway. Running would be useless. Fighting would be useless. Graves has seen how fast Grindelwald can move, felt the man’s strength. Without a wand, Percival’s a doll in Grindelwald’s hands.

Numbly, images of his ex-colleague’s pale, dying face flashing through his mind, Percival follows the vampire through the maze of Nurmengard until he’s led back to his own room.

Grindelwald helps him into bed as if Percival were an invalid. “Get some rest, Percival. I have no plans to kill you just yet.”


End file.
